Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Rhône > Northern Rhône > Cornas |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
The 2009 Cornas are off the charts. For example, the black/purple-colored 2009 Cornas Renaissance smells like a butcher shop with loads of bloody meat, a hint of tomato confit, smoky charcoal embers and scorched earth. It possesses sweet tannins, an opulent, voluptuous texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a tremendous finish. Surprisingly accessible, it will be even better with 2-3 years of cellaring and should drink well for 20-25 years.
From Tezier: Bright red berries on the nose, with a sexy floral nuance. Open-knit and juicy, with sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and a touch of spiciness. From younger vines in Reynard: Mineral-driven aromas of red and dark berries, with a strong peppery quality and building minerality. Picks up smokiness with air and shows a subtle note of black olive on the back end. From 30-year-old vines in Petit Cote: Fresh red fruits and flowers on the nose. Smoky and precise, with strong mineral cut to its red and dark berry flavors. Late tannins add structure. These vines were planted the year that Olivier was born.
The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is an amazingly open-knit, full-bodied, honeyed white boasting tons of orange marmalade, quince, white currant and creme brulee liqueur-like notes, stunning purity and richness, and a fabulous full-bodied, unctuously textured mouthfeel. Its richness is off the charts, and the wine offers a completely contrasting style with the more delineated, zesty 2010. I would opt for drinking the 2009 over the next 4-5 years.